Hey guys. I have been learning Blender for a while but this modifier really bothers me…
So when I add on the cloth modifier, everything goes well when I click ‘play’.
But when I clicked ‘apply’, the modifier property has gone and the cloth has become rigid again.
The reason why I need to click ‘apply’ cuz I need to join two objects together.
Does anyone have any tip for using the cloth modifier?
Thank you!
Hello !
That’s how it works, the cloth modifier allow to simulate the deformation but if you apply it it will freeze the effect.
In you case if you don’t want the static mesh and use it for animation, then you shouldn’t apply the modifier.
You need to join the two objects before if that’s possible. And maybe use pinning if you need some part to stay rigid.
Or maybe it’s even better to keep the object separated , in general that’s how it’s done.
Maybe share a few screenshot of what you’re trying to do, why you need to join mesh in the first place ect…
That will probably give others ideas on how to fix your issue !
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Try this: a “modifier,” as the term implies, takes an underlying mesh and “modifies it” on-the-fly. But the modification happens (separately) every time. When you then “apply” the modifier, the modifier’s calculations are performed and the result is saved.
Modifiers are a fantastic way to quickly “play with” things without committing to them.
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Thanks for the quick reply! Here is my orc.
I was trying to make a cloth for the orc. And as I mentioned, the cloth modifier property disappeared once I clicked ‘apply’. Thanks for the suggestion, maybe pinning them is an easier option indeed!
My thought was to join the cloth and the cloth band around the waist since I cannot join vertices unless they are on the same object. As far as I know you should apply the modifiers before you join the objects, and strangely enough both ‘Solidify’ and ‘Subdivision surface’ modifiers do not seem to lose their properties after I clicked ‘apply’, only ‘cloth’ modifier does. That is why I wanna clarify my understanding on it.
Thanks for the quick reply! I am just trying to clarify my understanding on the modifiers. I want to export an animation with the cloth attached to my orc. Does it mean the easier way is to use the modifiers without clicking ‘apply’ and simply export the file?
Hum, you want to export it to another software ?
Hum, modifiers are like non-destructive filters you can apply to objects.
They’ll do something to your object, but you still can access the non-modified version , change it , and the modifier will propagate it’s change. As you may already have noticed.
So yeah, depending on the case, you should apply them when you join two objects, because one object will inherit the modifiers of the other. Then you’ll loose some modification. I think it’s best understand if you try it a bit , Like take two planes, one with a solidify, the other subsurf, and try to join them. Depending on the order of selection you won’t get the same result.
And if you apply the modifiers you get a more predictable results.
All that said, some modifiers are different from the others.
The armature modifier allow to deform a character according to a rig. This one shouldn’t be applied, because you’ll loose the possibility to animate the character.
Same for modifiers dealing with physics, like cloth , softbodies , when you apply them they turn static and you loose the animation.
Now, if you export the cloth to another software, you may have some issues…
Because blender isn’t there anymore to calculate the cloth simulation, and if you apply the modifier it will stay static.
The best here is trying to describe what is your project , a character for a video game made in unity ? an animation in blender ? ect…
Depending on that there are different solutions to deal with that issue.
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Thanks for the thorough explanation on the modifier! This is what I have been looking for. And yes I am developing a game in Unity. Your explanation really helps to clarify my questions on the conceptual level!
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Ok cool !
If you plan to have your character in Unity, I think the simplest way is to forget about the cloth modifier / simulation, add bones to deform that part and animate it by hand, just like you would do with the character.
I’m not an expert in real time, so maybe someone with better experience can share a trick, but the only ways I know are really technical, it’s better to keep it simple unless you really know what you’re doing !
Good Luck !
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